Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 22-28

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! It was again an eventful week at the USA, despite the still-active virus attack.
Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which includes casino reopening, partnerships, acquisitions and recruitments. Read on and get updated.
Casino Reopening
Horseshoe Casino Baltimore has reopened its doors to the general public on June 28. However, Caesars Rewards Seven Stars and Diamond card holders were able to start gaming at the casino from June 26.
Acquisitions
SciPlay Corporation has acquired casual mobile games developer Come2Play. This acquisition brings the company into the fast-growing casual gaming segment. Financial details of the transaction are not being disclosed.
New Partnerships
Aquarius AI, the Vancouver-based consumer acquisition technology firm, has signed a letter of intent to enter a partnership with RPGG Media, owner and operator of UK-based esports wagering platform Puntt.
Bespoke games studio Espresso Games has partnered with leading iGaming platform provider BtoBet to expand its presence in Latin America and Africa.
Tecnalis, the Madrid-based platform provider for iGaming sites, has partnered with Betsoft Gaming. According to the deal, Tecnalis will integrate Betsoft’s slot portfolio on to their ground-breaking platform, Alira.
ROAR Digital and Sportradar have extended their US partnership through September 2026. Sportradar will continue providing data for all US sports plus a range of other events to ROAR Digital for use on BetMGM, its leading mobile sports betting app.
New Recruitments
Online gambling blocking software provider Gamban has appointed Jody Bechtold as a member of its US advisory board.
Bechtold is the CEO of Better Institute in Pittsburgh, VP of the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board and board member of the National Council on Problem Gambling.
New Deals
The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) has entered into an agreement with NeoPollard Interactive to build and maintain Alberta’s legal online gambling platform. The online platform will provide a secure, age-controlled environment that promotes healthy gambling behaviour.
New Launchings
Global Lottery Monitoring System (GLMS) has opened a new operational hub at the Loto Quebec premises in Montreal, Canada to analyse detect, prevent and report irregular and suspicious betting activities.
Employee Protest
Casino employees have protested against their job losses due to coronavirus and receiving a limited amount of healthcare benefits. They put together a caravan of more than 600 cars as a form of protest and drove to the casinos where they used to work before the pandemic.
Tax Break
The Louisiana Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs committee has approved legislation to give the gaming industry an $83 million tax break over five years after the major hit it took from the COVID-19 shutdown.
New Reports
On June 16, the American Gaming Association (AGA) released a report titled “Principles for Casino Gaming Payments Modernization.” Last week, boutique research and consulting firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming has released a document providing further insights and comments on each one of the AGA’s principles.
New Approvals
Nevada-based casino content provider Spin Games has received an Interactive Gaming Manufacturer License from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
After receiving the license, Spin has successfully launched its ROC platform and numerous i-Gaming titles on Parx Casino’s real money online platform pa.parxcasino.com.
Compliance
The Georgia Senate Special Judiciary Committee has approved a legislation that aims to authorise the Georgia Lottery to manage an online sports wagering system.
Top Republicans in the Pennsylvania State Senate are pressing sweeping gambling legislation that would allow slot machine-like terminals in bars, restaurants, non-profit social clubs and other businesses that hold liquor licenses.
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Atlantic City casinos
New Jersey Gambling Revenue Increases in July

This summer is shaping up to be a strong one for Atlantic City casinos and their online gambling operating partners. According to the latest data collected by the state, the total gambling revenue for the casinos and their operating partners from in-state online gambling was nearly $250 million during July. That represents a nearly 27% increase over last year’s total revenue for July, and it comes on top of a more than 23% year-over-year increase measured during the month of June.
In all, revenue this year from online gambling through the end of July topped $1.6 billion, up 23.3% compared to the same period last year, according to a report from the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement, which regularly tracks gambling revenue earned legally in New Jersey.
The revenue gains from online gambling do not appear to have come at the expense of in-person gambling this summer, according to the DGE data. Revenue from gambling at the casinos also grew in both June and July, although at more modest rates, with year-to-date collections totaling $1.66 billion through the end of July, the report said.
Amid the online-gambling revenue upswing, state policymakers decided earlier this summer to increase the state tax levied on legal online gambling offered by casinos and their operating partners.
The online gambling tax hike, as well as an increase in the state tax levied on mobile sports betting, came as part of a broader plan to raise an additional $600 million in annual revenue for the state budget.
The two gambling tax hikes, which went into effect on July 1, are projected to increase the revenues the state collects from casino taxes and fees by more than $200 million annually, according to estimates from the Department of the Treasury.
According to the report issued by Stockton University, which is based in Atlantic County, the casino industry’s gross gambling revenues totaled nearly $5.7 billion in 2024.
Last year, the total from taxes and fees levied on casino operators in New Jersey topped $880 million, according to a report issued earlier this year by Stockton University.
This included $572 million in revenue that went directly into New Jersey’s Casino Revenue Fund, the report said. That fund, by law, benefits programs and services for senior citizens and disabled residents.
In all, online gambling on traditional casino games, like poker and blackjack, netted casino operators $2.4 billion in gross revenue last year, followed by slots, $2.1 billion; table games, $699.7 million; mobile sports betting, $486.5 million; and in-person sports betting, $6.5 million, according to the report, which cited state data.
And even before the increased state tax rates that were put in place earlier this summer, the tax revenue generated by casino gambling in New Jersey was trending up, the report said.
The post New Jersey Gambling Revenue Increases in July appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Gambling in the USA
Virginia Lawmakers Debate Creating iGaming Agency

Virginia lawmakers are actively debating whether to establish a new regulatory agency to oversee iGaming. The joint subcommittee discussed a bill to create the Virginia Gaming Commission. It would manage all gambling verticals beyond the lottery.
Delegate Paul Krizek said: “The Virginia Gaming Commission is a step we need to preserve the good.”
Currently, the Virginia Lottery regulates sports betting and casinos, while other agencies manage charitable gaming and horse racing. Lawmakers also considered legalizing online casinos, including real-money platforms.
Delegate Marcus Simon introduced HB 2171 earlier this year. The bill aimed to authorize a real money online casino market under casino-lottery oversight. While the bill failed, Simon explained that the aim remains to curb illegal offshore platforms.
“My goal is to bring it under a regulated umbrella where we can have some oversight and supervision,” Simon said.
The subcommittee reviewed revenue projections estimating up to $5.3 billion in taxable income from online casinos over five years. The estimates included increased land-based casino revenue of 8.4%.
Experts raised concerns about real money online casino risks. Keith Whyte from Safer Gambling Strategies urged strong enforcement and safer gaming tools. Whyte noted: “Players could be encouraged… to take control through deposit limits, time limits, budget calculators, and personalized dashboards.”
Mental health advisor Brianne Doura-Schawohl backed up Whyte’s statement, warning that such products are dangerous without safeguards.
Former New Jersey regulator David Rebuck testified that iGaming complemented land-based casinos there. He pointed to New Jersey’s market, where online play boosted tourism and in-person casino revenue.
However, some Virginia legislators expressed skepticism, citing fears of cannibalization. They questioned whether online casinos might draw customers away from brick-and-mortar venues.
Industry experts countered that New Jersey and Michigan showed the opposite effect. Rebuck explained: “The evidence demonstrates iGaming expands the player base rather than cannibalizes physical casinos.”
Supporters argued that Virginia’s land-based operators could benefit from cross-promotion, loyalty programs, and expanded reach to players in rural areas.
The subcommittee must make recommendations by November 30, 2025. Officials expect the commission’s creation will precede legalization of online casinos. The Virginia lawmakers will review feasibility and revise HB 2171 before the 2026 legislative session.
The post Virginia Lawmakers Debate Creating iGaming Agency appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Betr
DraftKings Introduces Credit Card Deposit Ban for US Customers

DraftKings has introduced credit card deposit ban for US customers. This decision aligns them with other major gambling operators, such as Fanatics Betting & Gaming, Betr, and Sporttrade, which have already banned credit card funding for wagering accounts.
It also comes on the heels of another major announcement by DraftKings. Starting September 1, DraftKings will charge a 50-cent fee for every mobile and online bet placed in Illinois using its Sportsbook platform. This change follows a similar move by FanDuel.
DraftKings CEO, Jason Robins, expressed his disappointment with Illinois policymakers for significantly raising the tax rate. He is worried that this could hurt the legal sports betting industry, while the illegal market continues to operate without paying taxes or providing any consumer protections.
DraftKings has informed its users that any saved credit card information will be disabled.
Moving forward, players will need to utilize alternative payment methods, including:
• Debit Cards
• ACH and wire transfers
• PayPal, Venmo
• Apple Pay
• Gift Cards
Bettors can also use cash at physical locations to fund their accounts.
DraftKings describes this step as a “strategic business decision” aimed at shielding customers from the high interest rates and cash advance fees usually associated with credit card deposits in gambling. Unlike regulatory demands, this decision was internally driven but coincides with growing scrutiny from regulators.
DraftKings has decided to stop accepting credit cards for deposits in the US due to worries about customer safety and more scrutiny from regulators. Recently, the company faced a significant fine in Massachusetts, where it is based. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission fined DraftKings $450,000 for allowing credit card deposits, which goes against state laws.
The post DraftKings Introduces Credit Card Deposit Ban for US Customers appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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